


Just Deal

by DesireeArmfeldt



Category: due South
Genre: Chronic Illness, Community: ds_snippets | dsc6dsnippets, Established Relationship, M/M, POV Third Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1880919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesireeArmfeldt/pseuds/DesireeArmfeldt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ray and Fraser make the best of a bad deal.</p><p>Angst-to-hope-ratio = Medium? High?  Depends what you define as "hope."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the prompt "deal" at [ds-snippets](http://ds-snippets.livejournal.com).

Fraser’s singing in the shower this morning.  Ray’s guts twist.  Used to be, singing meant happy Fraser.  These days, it means the pain is bad enough that he thinks he has to make like everything's hunky-dory.  Which it ain't, and it ain't going to be, but there ain't anything either of them can do about that.  So, they just deal.  And they don't mention it unless they absolutely have to.  

At least the singing, and the shower, mean this isn't one of the _really_ bad days, when the pain’s too much for Fraser to deal with.

Fraser spends a good twenty minutes in there, but he's singing like a bird that whole time, so Ray knows he hasn't fallen or anything.  

Sometimes Ray wonders if he dreamed those years when Fraser showered in five minutes flat and spent his days jumping onto moving cars, with Ray scrambling full-out to keep up with him.  Was that seriously real life?

Fraser comes out, as spit-polished as ever in his brown uniform.  The hot shower's even put some color into his cheeks.  He gives Ray a kiss and a smile that goes tight at the sight of oatmeal—but he manages to get down half the bowl.  

Ray pretends not to notice, just like he doesn’t ask if Fraser feels up to going in to the Consulate like he’s dressed for.  ‘Cause that’s part of their unspoken deal, too: Ray doesn’t question Fraser’s judgment, and Fraser lets Ray take care of him, and they hold each other in the dark every night.  They do the best they can with the cards they were dealt, and even the worst days have good moments.  Which is enough, Ray reminds himself as they head slowly out to the car.  It has to be enough.  



End file.
